Is this the Car of the Future? Shell Previews Innovative Concept Vehicle [w/video]

Shell Concept Car has been unveiled today showing strong potential for environmentally viable city car driving. Designed as a three seater this car is a preview that energy efficiency improvements can be achieved by using cutting edge technology available today through a process of "co-engineering". This process allows vehicle's body, engine design and lubricants to be created all-together.

During the independent testing, Shell gathered information that the car would deliver 34% reduction in primary energy use over its entire lifecycle. And this is compared to the typical city cars. In addition, the concept would use around half the energy required to build and run than a typical small family car as well as 69% less than that of a typical sports utility vehicles.

As a matter of fact, the car is the result of a co-engineering collaboration between vehicle, engine and lubricant designers. This only means that each of the three elements of the car is tailored to work optimally. For instance, concept's gasoline consumption has been measured during steady state and urban driving styles. Test results include a steady state consumption of 107 miles per gallon [2.64Litres per 100km] [38km/Litres] [89.1 miles per gallon US] at 70kmph/45mph and an improvement of 4.67g CO2/km on the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC).

The Shell Concept Car was tested independently alongside a range of other cars under comparable conditions. This is how the designers have measured the fuel economy and CO2 emissions. During these tests, the Shell Concept Car produced lower CO2 emissions than both a petrol city car (28%) and a hybrid car (32%).

There is more, Shell's Concept Car is actually a "radical rethink on the way in which cars are designed, developed and produced". First of all, it features lightweight technology. Can you imagine that the car weighs only 550kg? And by the way, the materials for its production low energy and CO2 footprint.

Furthermore, a number of the car's components were created using 3D printing, which significantly accelerates the construction. For the body, the designers also worked with recycled carbon fiber. In addition, the concept car makes use of a modified version of Shell's Drive App via a smartphone, thus giving the driver real time feedback an on-screen.

In terms of styling … Shell says that the concept represents a new take on the ‘tall and narrow' look: with the dials are up, the sporty central driving position and two passenger seats behind.

Shell Concept Car is a project, which shows enormous potential when one uses the best of today's technology. We could actually have a major impact on energy use and reduce the CO2 emissions!